Beef vs. Grain Fed Beef????

[Ryan]

What is the difference between regular beef bought at the store versus beef that is labeled at "Grain Fed Beef"?

Ryan

 

[Frankie]

What is the difference between regular beef bought at the store versus beef that is labeled at "Grain Fed Beef"?

Ryan

Most beef sold in supermarkets is finished in feedlots on grain, so I'd say the labeling "Grain Fed Beef" is a marketing tool.

 

[Ryan]

it was friend of mine who asked me that question last night, while he was at the grocery store. I told him pretty much the same thing. I thought most all beef was "grain-fed" to some degree unless stated otherwise, like Grass-Fed.

Thanks

 

[Susie David]

Market to the masses, additional information can be a good thing especially when most of the words mean the same thing.
Wording has strong influence when you want your product to be attractive to the end consumer....we don't slaughter our animals any more, we Process them.
Oh yeah, we don't just feed, we finish our naturally raised farm grown steers on quality alfalfa and locally grown cracked corn. Market what sells...choose the adjectives well and know your market.
Just my opinion....DMc

 

[Beef11]

IF you ever run across some beef labeled grass fed or somebody tries to sell you on how great it is don't listen. I fattened a steer (angus) on grass thinking that they might be on to something. Nope they weren't. It took 3 gallons of A1 to choke down the first half of the critter then i gave the other half to some poor people and apologized in advance. You don't need A1 on a good steak.

Corn is a good thing.

 

[Chuck]

Most beef sold in supermarkets is finished in feedlots on grain, so I'd say the labeling "Grain Fed Beef" is a marketing tool.

And not a new one either. I remember years ago grocers featuring "corn fed" beef in their flyers and posters in the store. I always wondered how they knew for sure what those steaks had been eating.

 

[Brandonm2]

That is why the grass fattened people are resurecting 1960s British frame score 2 and 3 semen out of the bottom of people's nitrogen tanks. If you are going to fatten on grass you need the SHEEPiest cows you can find and even the sheep people were breeding little things like Southdowns back then. Next time you try it hold back the dinkiest, dumpyest little steer you have (what we always did) or if you ain't got anything like that sell all YOUR calves and pick up a small framed steer (for a discount) at the yard.

 

[cypressfarms]

IF you ever run across some beef labeled grass fed or somebody tries to sell you on how great it is don't listen. I fattened a steer (angus) on grass thinking that they might be on to something. Nope they weren't. It took 3 gallons of A1 to choke down the first half of the critter then i gave the other half to some poor people and apologized in advance. You don't need A1 on a good steak.

Corn is a good thing.

If the point ever comes where grass fed beef outsells grain fed, we won't have a market. Not trying to bring a black cloud on the string, , but Brazil right now would really hurt the U.S. cattle market. They have the genetics, they have the grass, it costs them next to nothing in labor, but at least they don't have feedlots-yet...

 

[Andrew]

So has anyone ever had a good experience with grass finished beef?
I subscribed to the Stockman Grassfarmer magazine for my first year in the cattle business and I didn't like or believed most of the articles. I didn't renew the subscription but always wondered if there is such as a thing as tender, marbled grass fed beef.

I plan to keep a steer back for personal consumption so I will be probably feeding grain; unless, I hear something positive about grass finishing that doesn't come from a biased article.


Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Frankie]

The people who claim to be successful in raising Choice quality grass fed beef say you must always, always, always have good quality forage for the cattle. Winter, summer, spring or fall, they must have all the quality forage (or very high quality hay) they need. That's not an easy thing to do.

 

[Beef11]

i watched a show on grass fattened calves and they fed them grain. It was only a few lbs a day. I thought they might be onto something. Grass fattened and Corn Fed! best of both worlds.

 

[Susie David]

That's basically what we're doing, just enough corn, long enough to give some marbling without excessive back and KPH fat. Hard to judge but we only finish a half dozen or so a quarter so we have a fairly good idea of the condition of individual animals and adjust the feed accordingly...get some real good flavor. DMc

 

[RebelCritter]

I personally can tell little difference between grass and grain finished beef. If anything, I guess the grain fed will have more marbling. The biggest determinate of good tender beef is the butchering process and hanging time in my opinion.

 

[DD RANCH]

IF you ever run across some beef labeled grass fed or somebody tries to sell you on how great it is don't listen. I fattened a steer (angus) on grass thinking that they might be on to something. Nope they weren't. It took 3 gallons of A1 to choke down the first half of the critter then i gave the other half to some poor people and apologized in advance. You don't need A1 on a good steak.

Corn is a good thing.

I agree with this grass fed is RUFF kinda like venison yuk..